Abstract

Femtosecond time-of-fight mass spectra of laser-desorbed gallium arsenide (GaAs) and trinitrobenzene (TNT) reveal the characteristic features and differences of femtosecond atomic and molecular ionization. Significant yields of multiply-charged atomic fragments, parent molecular ions and structure-specific fragment ions of labile molecules have been obtained. An optimum desorption laser intensity for the transfer of neutral intact parent molecules in to the gas phase has been observed to be molecule-dependent. This work demonstrates the potential of ultrafast laser
ionization and has significant implications for analytical and environmental studies of solid materials.